“William Hudson.” He did not say,
as he should have done, William Hudson McPherson.

The old gentleman kindly took him by the hand, and
led him to his own home. William’s tears
were soon dried, and he became quite contented.
It was too late to attempt to find his parents that
night, as he could not tell where they lived, and
the name of Hudson was not familiar to the good people
who had given him shelter.

When Sabbath morning came, William was questioned
again and again, till at length some clue was obtained
of his father’s place of residence. The
horse was harnessed, and William, with lame and blistered
feet, was placed in the wagon. About noon he safely
reached home, and was clasped once more to his mother’s
heart. The father had not returned from his search,
and he afterwards said, it had seemed to him that
he never could go home without his child, on account
of the terrible and almost frantic distress of the
mother. As he approached his house, borne down
with grief, he saw a wagon at the door. His heart
leaped with joy, for he thought the lost one was found.
He opened the door hopefully, and there, indeed, was
William gathered once more with his brothers and sisters
around the great cooking-stove, tears of joy flowing
down the grateful mother’s cheeks.

All this great grief which William’s father
and mother endured—­all the anxiety felt
throughout the town—­and all the sufferings
of the boy himself, were occasioned by William’s
stopping to play, when he ought to have gone directly
home!

Children often think they are quite as capable of
judging for themselves, as their parents are for them.
Sooner or later this opinion will lead them into trouble.
William thought it was safe to stop and see the boys
play marbles, but he found, to his sorrow, that it
would have been far better to have resisted temptation
and denied himself the short pleasure he enjoyed.

Every human heart is grieved when a child like William
strays from home. We do not wonder that his mother
should be fearfully anxious in regard to his fate.
But, oh! how much more bitter tears a loving mother
sheds, when her dear ones stray from the path of virtue,
and become disobedient and wicked! I hope none
of the children who read about William will go astray
from the right path, but will ever choose that which
is pure and lovely and of good report, and which, through
the grace of God in Christ Jesus, will safely lead
them home to heaven.

[Illustration]

THE UNPLEASANT NEIGHBOUR.

Eddie’s father has a disagreeable neighbour.
In one way or another he is a constant source of annoyance.
Sometimes his pigs will creep through the fence, and
root up the smooth green lawn. His part of the
fence he will not keep in repair, and the hungry cows,
in search of food, will break into the garden, and
make sad havoc among the cabbages and other vegetables.
His fine bay horse, whom he knows will jump over any
ordinary fence, is permitted to run in a pasture, where
he can eke out his scanty meal by a hearty lunch among
Mr. Dudley’s corn. All these aggressions,
and many more, have been borne with the greatest patience.